I'm linking up with Jenny from Luckeyfrog (Do you have her Super Text Detectives?! Seriously, go put them in your cart now..you'll think me later.)

Anyways... I want to just a moment to highlight one of my teacher heroes.

My parents got divorced when I was 7, and I moved to my 3rd elementary school in January of 2nd grade. I had yet to have a teacher that really pushed and challenged me, until I met Mrs. VanHagen. I didn't get to have Mrs. VanHagen for just one year...but for 3 years! She was my elementary ELP teacher. I remember every unit we did. I once begged my mom to buy be HyperStudio for our PC because of how much fun I had with it in ELP. I remember the time I built a bridge out of Bulsa wood...in fact...I bet my mom still has the video of testing it's ability to hold weight. I can play back in my head the time I recorded a reenactment of the Plessy V. Ferguson case in my childhood bedroom with my friend for Mrs. VanHagen's class. I went to her house for Halloween, and I know my mom has pictures of that. In fact, Mrs. VanHagen was just telling me the other day, she has pictures of me at Halloween and at Christmas when my Girl Scout Troop went around singing carols. She would tell us these riddles that really made us think. I've never forgotten her over the years...no teacher compared to her. When I decided to go into education, I visited with her and even though it had been nearly 10 years since I had her as a teacher...she remembered me instantly. I talked to her about my plans to go into education and she talked to me about minors and gave me advice.

The most incredible thing? I get the privilege of teaching with her today. You see, I teach at my childhood elementary school. My principal? My principal in 2nd-5th grade. My 4th grade teacher, another teacher who inspired me, now teaches 2nd. And my teacher hero, Mrs. VanHagen teaches ELP.

Last week, I had a parent teacher conference that I was not looking forward to. I had recommended the student for ELP at the beginning of the semester, so naturally I asked Mrs. VanHagen to join me in the conference. She knew the challenges I was facing and I was a little more at ease knowing she'd be there with me. The conference went perfectly. The compliments she gave me warmed my heart. It's great to hear that you're doing a good job...but to have one of the teachers that inspired you to teach tell not just you, but the parents of your students how well you teach and explain the challenges of differentiation in the classroom....wow. Words cannot explain. I went to her the next day and thanked her for her kind words and she said, "Lindsey, I was simply telling the truth. I would never lie, but I really want you to know how wonderful you're doing and that I'm so proud of you." Yep, waterworks. I just couldn't hold it back. I told her, again, that for her to tell me that just meant the world to me, as she has been a great inspiration to me. Then she started to cry! She told me that one day, I will have a student come back and tell me that because of me, they were going into education, or that I influenced them in some way.

So who's your teacher hero?

TpT is celebrating all teachers Wednesday, February 25, for their "Teachers are heroes" sale. My store, as well as many others, will be on sale. Get an additional 10% off your purchases using the code HEROES.

Friday- #cheercoach
MY AWESOME NEW CHEER SHIRT! :)
The back is silver glitter and says "some girls were born with glitter in their veins"
That little girl is my team member's daughter who is in 3rd grade, but not in my class. She can't wait to cheer!

Monday we didn't have school, and Wednesday I left for State Wrestling in Des Moines, so I just did Tuesday's spin.

My 25th birthday is coming up March 5th and I would love for you to help me celebrate with a big giveaway! I will be doing freebie clipart each day of my birthday week in addition to a massive giveaway including TpT gift cards and a blog design from L. Paull Designs.
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Won't you help me make this giveaway awesome?! :) Thanks so much!

I know, I know...it seems crazy. There are a couple things you can do throughout the day that keeps your kiddos on their toes, and in some cases quiet!

Let me tell you about some things in my classroom and building.

This is my math review section of my dry erase board. I have it divided into 3 pieces. The top part is for our fact of the day, required in our building. The middle part is review from the week before's skills. The bottom is using the math vocabulary for the week, also required in our building.

So when do I use this? When my kiddos are lining up to go somewhere, like specials or lunch. When they line up, I start talking about the fact and call on students in line to answer the questions. This keeps my class quiet, engaged, and acts as literally a minute review as we transition. I change it every day.

This is a large window at the end of my hallway, right next to the bathroom, that at least 4 classrooms use. So about 100 students see this window many times during the day. At first glance, you may not see anything but a winter view. Look again! A 4th grade teacher wrote the factors for 24 on the window.

That same 4th grade teacher taped vocabulary posters on the inside of the bathroom stalls. This took the students by surprise, HAHA!

One day a couple weeks ago, I had a couple students come back from using the restroom and they said, "Miss J, someone wrote on the bathroom mirrors!" I quickly sighed, because we have had an issue this year of writing in the bathrooms. They said, "There's like...math problems!" I was confused, so I walked down to the restroom and started laughing! I went across the hall and asked the teacher if she wrote on the bathroom mirror, and she said "No, but Mr. B did!" I had to explain to my kiddos that it was a teacher who did the writing! He had measured the lengths of the mirror and wrote out equations to find the perimeter and area of the mirror. After talking to him about his shenanigans, he asked what we were working on in 3rd grade, and the next thing I know, he's writing equivalent fractions!

Today I wanted to share a tip with you that helps me cut down on paper and ink. I'm fortunate to be in a district that doesn't limit our copies, but we have been talked to the last 2 years about being more conscientious of what we're printing. So, I'm doing my part in trying to cut down where I can.

These may not be new for some of you...but I hope it will help some!

When I can, I try to print multiple pages on a sheet, so I'm using half the amount of paper. Most of the things that I print are PDFs, and if they're not, I can save them as one.

So when I go to print, I change the page scaling to multiple pages per sheet.

I usually do 2 pages per sheet, but in some cases I can do 4...all depends on what it is I am printing.

If I'm printing a set of something for my class, I then go to the page range and type the page I want to print twice, so I get 2 copies of it per page.

This is how my Winter Wonderland Color by Product pages look when printed 2 per page. It's still big enough to color and read the text, but only uses 12 pages, rather than 24!

And, if I don't need the students to actually hand in the assignment...

Want to know how I got my spelling words in cursive? Read that post here!

Do you have any tips to help with printing? Do you have a limit on your printing?

I participate in a fashion challenge on Instagram with @aem8168 and @jro1583 called #PinnedItSpinnedIt. It is a simple idea that saves me a ton of time in the morning!

They find fashion pins and create Monday-Friday looks that you use to inspire your own outfits for each day. I love that it pushes me out of my normal style a bit, and gets me mixing and matching in my closet. I'm one of those girls that has a ton of clothes, but claims she doesn't have any...ya know?! You might be one, too. Most girls are...

Anyways, my bloggy bestie Jameson at lessonswithcoffee.com (yeah, she's DOT COM now!) blogged about her looks and I thought that I needed to follow in her footsteps, so here's a look at what I wore last week!

Yikes...I haven't blogged since last Currently!
Linking up with Farley!

I don't even have the television on! I'm being really productive at the moment!

I went to school today, because there was a big snow storm in the forecast, and no way do I want to get out in that tomorrow! I go almost every weekend into school, because I never get everything done. I was in today for about 5 hours. It took me a lot longer than usual because I had to get things ready for conferences. Our conferences were suppose to be March 24 and 26. We found out a week ago that we are having them February 11-12 and March 26. They're not our usual conferences. Without getting on my soapbox, we have new state laws in Iowa that require some major literacy implementations and have to meetings with parents like last week...
I'm glad I'm mostly ready for the week and get to be a lazy bum tomorrow!

I'm starting on my long list of custom blog designs for February. Three have started! I'm trying to get ahead so I can create a few pre-designs :)

I have a horrible habit of biting my finger nails, so I never actually get my nails done with the exception of super special occasions. So, a at home mani is on the to-do list for tomorrow!

I have a few posts in the works that I need to finish and schedule. January and February are just SO busy!

I'm trying to have a positive spin on everything lately. I catch myself being a negative Nancy sometimes, and am trying to change that around and focus on the positive! :)